The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-12-08

APPASNS~ Iva ASSs l
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MINUTES OF THE BOTTINEAU
Farmers Alliance.
Bottineau, Dec. 8, 1887.
Meeting called to order b the Vice Pres
ident. Minutes Of meeting Of October lst
read and approved.
Moved by Es q Turner and seconded by
Alex. Robertson that Murray Moore, VIM.
Stewart, Geo. J. Coultbard be appointed a
finance committee for tonight. Carried.
Report of finance COMMITTEES: The finance
committee report that the bill presented by
the Secretary for $500, be allowed, and on
the motion being put to the meeting it was
carried.
Moved by VIM. Stewart, seconded by Muir
ray Moore, that the Bottinsau PIONEER be
made the official paper Of this Alliance and
that all communications in any way connec-
ted with the business of this Alliance be
given to the Bottineau PIONEER and to no
other paper.
The following letter from H. L. Loucks,
President Territorial Farmers Alliance,
was read by the Secretary;
Farmers Of Dakota,-The most serious
subject that cvu engage our attention at the
present time is: Shall we have o free mark
ct for our wheat. Permission to erect fiat
warehouses on side track, Of o size within
o,n Sc ~oc,eol Nho 1or, ~oo,,sspo
railroads to furnish cars on side track is
being openly violated under the pretence of
complying with q strict Interpretation Of
the law which prevents our furnishing cars
to private individuals to the detriment Of
the larger share Of our patrons who patron
ize the public elevators. AS shrewd o bust
ness man Us Mr.. Odell, Asst. Gen. Manager
of the Northern Pacific, should be ashamed
to give such o aimsy pretext for the viola
ton of the plain law of Dakota. Compel the
farmers to ship through the. public eleva-
tors and then claim them as willing patrons.
The representatives of The Northern Pacific
last winter at Bismarck, before the joint
railroad committees, pledged the privilege
Of erecting fat warehouses on any Of their
side tracks. When the farmers accept their
offer and build, then they refuse cars, Of
what use is the warehouse when all the cars
are furnished to the public elevators.
During the past year we have advised
farmers everywhere to ship their own wheat.
Past experience had proven that we were
paying enormous tribute to the elevator
companies. Farmers shipping associations
and alliance warehouse companies were be-
ing rapidly organised. The elevator craft
was in danger. There is only one way to
step. They appeal to the rail road compa-
MES for protection and the response comes
as quickly as though they were directly in.
terested. Independent lawyers are scalpers
and blackmailers, and farmers are only to
be considered as elevator feeders. Where
it was necessary side tracks leading to pri-
vate warehouses have been torn up. In 9TH
er cases when cars having been loadel the
agents have refused to ship them. The SOM
bination is a powerful one and as arrogant
as powerful. There is urgent need for a
law such as the one introduced by the Hon.
John Bidlake last session. In view Of the
present combination the next one will need
to be made even stronger, with . penalty
attached for delay in furnishing cars. The
public elevator men have always had the
sympathy and aid of the rail road because
it was so much easier and cheaper to haul
wheat from q big elevator than from o score
OF little ones. Just think of that for . Sc
rious argument. Any one acquainted with
railroad business knows that the expense Of.
loading is. borne by the shipper and not by
the railroad, and to claim that it is easier
| to haul q score Of cars from an elevator than
Us many cars from a score Of warehouses on
the same side track is Simply absurd. But
in the present condition Of affairs it is inn
possible to allow q car to stand ON . side
track twenty four hours to be loaded by .
private buyer when it can be loaded at the
public elevator in half an hour and b. sent
0n its way to Minneapolis. Yes It can; but
how many roads switch out Their cars every
half hour and send them out? The PROPOSE
ton is as absurd as thu Others. Few roads
have more than . way freight erday. n
81 CHI cases what difference does it make
whether q car is loaded ID half m hour or
twenty-four7 Besides, private buyers can
load in two hours, and few Of the roads pick
up their cars more than twice q day. can
not do better than give you 4 letter recciy-
ed By 6. G. Woolcot 8 Co. a9 Chamber Of
Commerce, Minneapolis. from the Asst. Gen
Manager Of tae n. p. railroad:
'.Your letter of the 24th inst, addressed
70 Mr. Hanniford has bsen r~stsssdtone. 4